DOJ panel wants authority to issue subpoenas on ZTE

MANILA, Philippines – A five-man panel formed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct a fact-finding investigation of the controversial ZTE national broadband network deal yesterday asked Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez to empower them with the authority to issue subpoenas and compel personalities to attend its hearings.

This, after Philippine Forest Corp. (PFC) officer-in-charge Erwin Krishna Santos and Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Manuel Gaite snubbed the scheduled hearings yesterday.

Santos sent a text message to the secretary of the panel, Justice Undersecretary Ernesto Pineda, saying that he “cannot attend the hearing” as he had a priority meeting with investors.

When the panel reconvened for the afternoon hearing, Gaite, who had confirmed his attendance, also did not show up and instead sent a letter written by his lawyer Gregorio Batiller Jr. and delivered by another lawyer Paul Edwin Bautista.

“Our client has had no participation whatsoever, either in the negotiations with ZTE Corp. pertaining to the NBN project or the signing of the Supply Agreement. Hence, much as he is willing to cooperate with your investigation, he has nothing to contribute,” the letter said.

Attached to the one-page letter were Gaite’s Feb. 11 and Feb. 26 statements sent to the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on the ZTE deal.  – Mike Frialde